sweet, snowy vacation

Hello Everyone!!

I am currently suffering from cabin fever.
This is the most snow that Belgium has ever received since 1970. I wish this was a joke... but it is not. My family here keeps saying it is because I came and I love snow way too much that is record breaking amount of snow comes this year. This is a good possibility for the massive amount of snow. Like honestly, I have never seen so much snow in my entire life. I love it! Although I am kind of upset with it since I'm snowed into my house and I really wanted to go into town to celebrate the end of finals with my school friends. Oh well. The buses aren't in service (a big deal) so I can't get in. Blah! That is fine. I would rather be stuck in a warm house than in a cold bus on the side of the road because of the snow and ice.
I wish I could stop talking about how this snow is so epic... but it really is. For everyone! Not just me! Yesterday, I built my first snowman (bonhomme de neige) here. He was so cute! He had a little old man hat and a little scarf. And for the first time, I actually used charcoal for his eyes and mouth and a real carrot for his nose. I loved him and during the night the snow pretty much covered him up... but he is still there :) I got a package from my mom just in time for the massive amount of snow. In it was lots of hats, scarves, and mittens... thank goodness. Apparently my apparel for the snow was not cool! North Face is not popular here at all... so I really needed to get hip, new, and warm things. Thanks mommy ... I mean Santa :) It is weird that I will be moving in 2 days and that Christmas is in 5 days! For some reason... even with all the snow and decorations... it doesn't feel like Christmas for me. I would like to give you a better reason than that my real family is not with me...but I think that is the reason it doesn't really feel like Christmas for me. Maybe within the next 5 days it will get better... or on the day? I'm not homesick ... at all. It is just more of ... "Oh? It is Christmas already?" feeling.


So now my weeeeeek. Woo!
I was supposed to have a final in Science Sociales (psychology). Keep in mind I actually studied for this final which I thought was on Tuesday. Like - legit studying for hours, reading, and looking up all the big words I didn't understand. It was really productive and I was so proud of myself for actually putting in effort since my brain doesn't remember how to study anymore.
So then on Tuesday, I get to school and I don't see any of my classmates but I run into my teacher and I ask her where the room for the final is ... she just looks at me and is like, "Mallory, the final is Thursday...?" She said this in French obviously but then tried to say it in English because I looked so confused. But no. I understood but I didn't understand how stupid I could be! In that quick moment I realized I had German today... not Science Sociales. I didn't study a single thing for German because I thought I had all Wednesday to do that. So, I ran around like a headless chicken to find my German teacher so I could explain how I'm a stupid exchange student who doesn't understand schedules. He was understanding and let me take it on Thursday after my Science Sociales test. Thank goodness. Not that an extra 2 days really helped me with my German test... I am such a failure when it comes to German. The only way I might have passed the test was because when I listen to it I can comprehend enough since all the nouns in German are exactly the same in English - just spelled all weird. So ya... Welcome to my life. I'm so stupid sometimes it is hilarious. At least I laugh at myself... right?
After this classic Mallory Moment, I just went home and did exercises on YouTube to learn some German. Successful? Let's just say the most advanced I got what learning numbers. Then after a few hours at home I had to go to a Rotary Meeting in Liege at noon. This was a special meeting because my oldie (called this because she was here for 6 months when I arrived - thus I'm her newie... along with Jerry from Texas.... since we are all in the same club) Matilda, from Austrailia, is leaving in January and was presenting her year to our Rotary Club. So this was my chance also to present the powerpoint that I have had since 3 months ago. This is the same powerpoint that I had to do instead of going to the sea with my family on the last sunny day... Rotary is a bit annoying in this department I must say. Well, since I of course didn't update it it was just over my old life in Kansas City and those things. So, compared to Matilda's amazing powerpoint filled with all the amazing things she did this year - mine was a failure. I have only been here for 4 months... so I at least had this excuse for why my presentation was "not fully developed" and I have to do another one in the summer before I leave - along with Jerry. My presentation was okay... I did it all in French - with some mistakes. I have trouble with public speaking... so I was proud of myself to do a speech and to do it in French! Yay me! Like my blazer? I am kind of more proud of my blazer fill-up success than my French speech...is that bad?

Wednesday I didn't have any finals so I slept until noon and just went into town with some friends ... :) I had a lot of fun. I was home by dinner and in time to put in a little more studying for my 2 finals the next day.

Thursday I finally had the Sciences Sociales test (for 2 hours). I think I did pretty well. I wasn't the last one finished - or the first. I felt like I wrote well in French and understood all the questions and stuff. We will see. It is cool to actually do well on a test in another language... I don't know how to explain it. But I was just really proud of myself. Science Sociales at my school is not an easy subject... and there is a lot of reading and just a lot of information to take in. I'm glad I put in an effort :) Then I had German, which was such a fail. Whatever... I tried my best :) After these finals, I happily went home and spent the rest of my day watching Gossip Girl online for a few hours. I have a problem... I know. But this is what I do. I work hard and then I have to escape and bring my brain back to mush so it doesn't self-combust. It was necessary for me to watch maybe 7 episodes in only a few hours. Necessity people!! Don't judge... just saving my brain. Must I go on my rant again about burning out and ruining my life?

Friday was Marge's 19th Birthdayyyy! And the day a lot of snow was falling! I slept until around noon again and then hopped a bus in time to make it into the city by 1. Marge's family had this great idea that Mollie and I would surprise her at her house at night along with her other friends and host family friends... so we told Marge we both couldn't do anything at night but we could hang out with her during the day (so it wouldn't be completely obvious). So we all hung out in the city just shopping around together and talking... Marge and I are going the same New Year's party so we went shopping for Black and Gold things. I bought a very cute dress that I can't wait to wear! I have had my eye on it since I found out what I was doing for New Years... and I finally got it! After this, we went to get tea at this environmentally friendly restaurant in town... and other exchange students met up with us. It was nice to just sit and chat together. After this we pushed Marge on to her bus and Mollie and high fived because we got through the day with only a few slip ups. Quite impressive for us :) Then we hung in town a bit longer then hopped on our own train headed for Marge's town and we were picked up by her parents. Some friends of Marge's from school came too and we all stood with candles in the dark at the bottom of the stairs waiting for her to descend... yes, like a cult. She was really surprised though and Mollie and I were greeted with, "You guys are so weird!" Successful night and we all enjoyed a nice fondu with friends and speaking French. So much fun :) I was happy we did something special for Marge and all got to be together!! Yay for moments like these that are never ending in this country I call Belgium.
That night we had fun and stayed up wayyyyy to late to function properly the next day. We are such girls.
The next day we slept in and Marge dragged Mollie and I out of bed to be productive. We went for a walk around the farm in the snow. It was amazinggg and so pretty. We took so many pictures and had so much fun just walking in the snow together.
I think on that walk, it finally hit me that I am in Belgium and this is my life and that these are the friends I would have never met if I didn't do this. I am so happy here and even though some things here really suck sometimes... I'm still disgustingly happy. I'm happy that I got up the balls to do this, I'm happy I have people that support me, I'm happy I have new friends that feel like old friends, I'm happy that I am completely myself here, I'm happy that the simplest things have become the best things, I'm happy that I'm in Belgium for a year, and I'm happy that I'm living my own life for maybe the first real time.

I'm disgustingly happy here. Check off the list of my goals this year.


All for now - must go eat lunch :) and possibly go for a little sledding with Larry and Lisa since the sun is out.

Mallory